Today we’d like to introduce you to Yazmin Castaneda.
Hi Yazmin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Origin Mexico really began long before I ever thought about starting a business. I grew up along the U.S.–Mexico border, and some of my favorite childhood memories are of traveling through Mexico with my family. Those experiences gave me a deep appreciation for the color, craftsmanship, traditions, and creativity found throughout the country.
I started Origin Mexico in 2020 with the idea of creating a bridge between the incredible work being made by artisans in Mexico and customers here in the U.S. We recently celebrated six years, which feels especially meaningful because the business has grown and changed so much, while the heart behind it has stayed very much the same.
What began as a small collection has grown through relationships with artisans and families across different regions of Mexico, many of whom are preserving techniques and traditions that have been passed down for generations. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot about what our customers connect with most and have become much more intentional about the direction of the brand.
Today, our hand-painted hats are really at the heart of Origin Mexico. They are designed here in the Austin area and painted entirely by hand in Oaxaca, one at a time. No two are exactly alike, and I think that individuality is a big part of what people connect with. You are not wearing something that was mass-produced or made to look exactly like everyone else’s. There are hands, time, and a story behind every piece.
While hats have become our main focus, I also love continuing to share other forms of Mexican craftsmanship through the brand. Our collections include Talavera and barro negro jewelry, handwoven shawls, and our Palmita Top, which has been one of our best sellers since the very beginning. We now launch two curated collections each year, which allows us to be more thoughtful about what we introduce and to focus on pieces that feel distinctive, wearable, and true to the brand.
Origin Mexico has also grown beyond selling directly to customers. Our pieces are carried by boutiques, museums, resorts, and other retailers, and we’ve had opportunities to work on special events, corporate gifting, and custom projects. Those opportunities have been exciting, but what matters most to me is that growth has never meant losing the reason I started.
At its core, Origin Mexico is about sharing Mexican craftsmanship in a way that feels modern, meaningful, and relevant today, while honoring the people and the hands behind each piece. Six years in, I still feel like I’m learning, refining, and discovering where the brand can go next, but I have a much clearer understanding of what I want Origin Mexico to represent: craftsmanship, individuality, connection, and pieces that carry a story with them.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not. There have been a lot of beautiful moments, but there has also been a tremendous amount of learning along the way.
One of the biggest challenges has been sourcing and producing in Mexico while running the business from Texas. We work with artisans in different regions, and handmade production simply doesn’t operate the same way mass production does. Timelines can change, materials aren’t always available when expected, and getting products from a small workshop in Mexico all the way to a customer or retailer in the U.S. involves a lot of moving pieces. Shipping, customs, logistics, tariffs and rising import-related costs have all been things I’ve had to learn as I’ve gone.
I’ve also had to learn how to plan around the nature of handmade work rather than trying to force it into a traditional retail timeline. When something is painted, woven, embroidered or made by hand, there are people and processes behind it that can’t always be rushed. That has taught me to build in more time, communicate better, plan inventory more carefully and, sometimes, simply be patient.
On the business side, I’ve made plenty of mistakes. I’ve introduced products that didn’t work, ordered too much of something, underestimated timelines and had ideas I was convinced would be successful that simply weren’t. One of the biggest lessons has been realizing that growing a business isn’t always about adding more. Sometimes it’s about paying attention, simplifying and being willing to let go of what no longer makes sense.
That has helped us become much more intentional about what we offer today, a curated collection led by our hand-painted hats, alongside artisan-made accessories and pieces like our Palmita Top that have become longtime customer favorites. Everything we bring in now has to feel distinctive, wearable and connected to the story of Origin Mexico.
And then there is the personal side of entrepreneurship. I’m a business owner, but first and foremost, I’m a wife, a daughter and a mom who homeschools my daughters. Those roles don’t neatly take turns. There are days when I’m answering retailer emails, on the phone with DHL support or working through a production issue, while at the same time thinking about what needs to happen at home and what my family needs from me.
I don’t think I’ve ever found a perfect balance, and I’m not sure one really exists. I’ve learned instead that different seasons require different things from me. Sometimes the business needs more of my attention, and sometimes my family does. Learning to recognize that—and to be okay with it—has been an important part of this journey too.
Probably one of the hardest lessons has been accepting that I can’t do everything at once. As a small business grows, it’s very easy to feel like you should constantly be doing more, more products, more social media, more markets, more wholesale, more everything. Over time, I’ve become much more comfortable asking myself, “Does this actually move Origin Mexico in the direction I want it to go?”
Six years in, I still feel very much like a student of my own business. I’m constantly learning from our customers, our retailers, the artisans we work with and, many times, from the things that don’t go according to plan. I’m a much different business owner today than I was when I started. I’m more intentional, more willing to change course and much clearer about what matters.
The road has definitely not been smooth, but I also think those challenges are what have shaped Origin Mexico into what it is today. I’m proud that through all of the changes, the heart of the brand has remained the same: sharing beautiful Mexican craftsmanship, honoring the hands behind it and creating pieces that feel genuinely special.
We’ve been impressed with Origin Mexico , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Origin Mexico is a Texas-based brand centered around Mexican craftsmanship, thoughtful design and pieces that feel truly special to own. We work with artisans across Mexico to create and curate small-batch collections that bring traditional techniques into a more modern, wearable context.
Today, we are best known for our hand-painted hats. Each one is designed here in the Austin area and painted entirely by hand in Oaxaca, one at a time. The artwork is painted directly onto the hat—not printed or transferred—so no two are exactly alike. That individuality is a big part of what our customers love.
While hats are at the center of the brand, we also offer talavera and barro negro jewelry, handwoven shawls and our Palmita Top, which has been a customer favorite since the early days of the business. We now introduce a very small number of curated collections each year, which allows us to be much more intentional about what we add.
What sets Origin Mexico apart is the balance between tradition and wearability. I have a deep respect for the techniques and craftsmanship behind each piece, but I also want everything we offer to feel modern, relevant and easy to make your own.
I’m especially proud of the relationships we’ve built with artisans and families throughout Mexico and of the fact that the hands behind our products remain part of the story as we grow. Our collections are sold directly to customers as well as through boutiques, museums, resorts and other retailers, and we also work on corporate gifting, events and select custom projects.
Six years in, I’m most proud of the clarity we’ve found as a brand. Origin Mexico is about pieces made with time, skill and intention, pieces that feel individual, meaningful and not like something you’ll see everywhere else.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I’ve never really thought of my life or business in terms of luck. My mom taught me from a very young age that you work hard, you keep going and, when something doesn’t work out, you find another way forward. I think that work ethic and perseverance have shaped both who I am and how I’ve built Origin Mexico.
But I also know very clearly that I haven’t built this alone.
Origin Mexico would not be here six years later without the people who have become part of our community, the customers who have come back year after year, the people who have told their friends about us, the retailers who took a chance on a small brand, and the people who have encouraged me at different points when I needed it. Sometimes someone placing an order, sending a kind message or simply saying, “I believe in what you’re doing,” has meant more than they probably realized.
And then there are the artisans. Their trust means so much to me. They are trusting me with something they have created with their own hands, often using skills and traditions that have been part of their families and communities for generations. I never take lightly the responsibility of bringing that work to a new audience and telling its story with respect.
There have certainly been opportunities that arrived at just the right moment, but I think what has allowed Origin Mexico to grow has been the people, the relationships and the willingness to keep showing up, even through the seasons when things were difficult or uncertain.
So I don’t know that I would call it luck. I would call it hard work, perseverance, community, trust and a lot of gratitude. And six years into this journey, I’m probably more aware than ever that a business may start with one person’s idea, but it grows because other people choose to become part of it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://originmexico.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/origin_mexico/
